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MFP Copier Blog
This Week in the Copier Industry 15 Years Ago
This Week in Copiers Fifteen Years Ago
Third Week of August 2008
Real Copier Sales
In a trade magazine, the following quote was attributed to an un-named IKON sales rep; “At the beginning of the month, we sell solutions (Documentum, Captaris RightFax, Objectif Lune, etc.), but by the end of the month we just sell copiers (Canon & Ricoh)”..........
Enjoy These awesome copiers threads from 15 Years Ago
Weekend Copier Notes from 08/17/08
Konica Minolta Unveils bizhub C200
CANON U.S.A. ANNOUNCES NEW imageCLASS D480 MULTIFUNCTION COPIER TARGETING SMALL BUSIN
CANON U.S.A. ROLLS OUT NEW imageCLASS MULTIFUNCTION PRINTERS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND
SHARP LAUNCHES NEXT GENERATION COLOR WORKGROUP DOCUMENT SYSTEMS
SHARP IMAGING AND INFORMATION COMPANY OF AMERICA EXPANDS DIRECT, LOCAL SALES OPERATIO
Mac OS 10 Network Fax
Best Print Management Solutions Updated with Announcement of Version 4.1 of Equitrac
New SP 4110SF from Ricoh!
New Version of EFI Fiery Central Workflow Solution Boosts Production and Maximizes Re
Leavenworth, Kan. - Purchases 22 Copiers
DocuLex Provides Convenient Content Access with WebSearch 4.1 Content Management Soft
Re: Mac OS 10 Network Fax
Re: Wide Format Color Scanner
Industry Trending
Re: Sales Tips
Re: Wide Format Color Scanner
Re: Wide Format Color Scanner
Re: Ricoh 2075 - Printing Custom Size Paper
Re: Ricoh 2075 - Printing Custom Size Paper
Re: Industry Trending
Re: Industry Trending
Hannibal, MO
Ademero Inc. Releases Content Central™ Version 4.6
Océ Launches Comprehensive Suite of TransPromo Solutions and Services
New Certification Resource for Members
Recently I've ben uploading my certifications to Linkedin. The only problem is Linkedin does not offer a place for you to upload your pdf document. I could be wrong, however in the mean time I added a Certifications tab to our site.
This is for our members to use to upload their certifications and then link the url to Linkedin. See below
There are many potential prospects or suspects that lurk behind the scenes. Uploading your certifications can make you stand out in the ocean of sameness with all of the other reps. I ask you, who the frak wants to be the same!
The link for adding is here for our site, then make sure to check certifications on the right side of the page and then save.
-=Good Selling=-
MEGA Lead for 500 plus MFPs
se attached files
Lead for ManagedIT Services ($150K)
see attached file
Lead for IT Services (5 Year Managed IT)
see attached file
Are You Providing A White Glove, Cherry On The Top, First-Class Type Client Experience?
“The way to a customer’s heart is much more than a loyalty program. Making customer evangelists is about creating experiences worth talking about.”
Valeria Maltoni
As we start off our time together, as I ask you to think about the following...
Are you creating experiences worth talking about with your clients? What are you doing to keep your clients coming back for more and more and more of what you have to offer?
In today's radically and highly competitive sales world, what got you to where you're at with your clients, will not keep you there moving forward.
The title of this week's message just might be a cold glass of water for many of you, Are You Providing A White Glove, Cherry On The Top, First-Class Type Client Experience?
If you said yes, how do you know you are? If there is a bit of silence, then you have some work to do.
As we get started let's unpack two words that quite often get intermixed in sales - the use of customer and client.
What does it mean when using both?
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a customer is someone who buys goods or services from a store or business. Let's just say transactional in nature.
The word client can also mean customer, but it has a separate definition as someone who receives professional services. Let's refer to this as transformational in nature.
When it comes to keeping people talking about what YOU do would you like them using the word transactional or transformational?
Therefore, let's adjust our mindset and gain a complete understanding around the use of these two words. Customers are typically people who buy products or services that you supply. Conversely, clients buy and seek out your personalized advice to their particular needs.
When it comes to the experience they receive this can be based on quite a few things, but I believe it boils down to perception. It's the perception these people have of you that determines your sales fate, longevity and sustainability.
Are you building a transactional customer experience or a transformational client experience?
Think about this one for a moment... Do you view your customers as customers, or do you view them as clients? How many of you view them as clients but treat them as customers?
Would you even know?
At this very moment in time, would you know when a customer becomes a client, or the other way around?
You see, when a client becomes a customer, this becomes a problem. I ask you to think about what I just said, and now think of the word... Attrition.
To quote the legendary Walt Disney,
“Whatever you do, do it well. Do it so well that when people see you do it, they will want to come back and see you do it again, and they will want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do.”
FIRST CLASS EXPERIENCE
Are you going the extra mile to create a first-class experience?
When it comes to going the extra mile, it would be remiss of me, if I didn't bring in a Napoleon Hill reference,
“An important principle of success in all walks of life and in all occupations is a willingness to Go the Extra Mile; which means the rendering of more and better service than that for which one is paid, and giving it in a positive mental attitude.”
To go the extra mile, let's unpack a first-class experience.
This experience is characterized by exceptional service, personalized attention, and a focus on exceeding expectations. It's about creating a positive, memorable and heartfelt interaction that not only meets one's needs but also makes them feel valued, appreciated and heard.
Here are a few key aspects...
- Personalization: Treat people as individuals as you tailor your interactions to their preferences, needs, and desires.
- Ease and Convenience: Making it easy and seamless for people to do work with you.
- Consistency: Delivering a consistently consistent experience with every interaction and engagement.
- Feedback: Actively seek feedback and use it to improve. This demonstrates that you listen and take action as this is a powerful way to build trust.
You do not need permission for you to go the extra mile or to provide a first-class experience.
In an ever-changing competitive business landscape, you must look for smart answers to an extremely urgent question:
How can you protect your client base from erosion as competition intensifies?
I believe true loyalty breeds true loyalty.
If you want your clients to give you their hard-earned corporate dollars, then you must be willing to continually, faithfully and without any hesitation give a rip about them.
If you want your clients to be forever committed to you, then ensure you're endlessly devoted to them. It’s straightforward and that simple, yet so difficult for many to wrap their minds around.
Here's a little secret... all of you have a first-class seat and so does the competition.
The question becomes...
What are you going to bring to the seat?
PROVIDE A WHITE GLOVE EXPERIENCE
How many of you are providing a white glove and bottle of wine type experience?
I encourage all of you, stop imitating and start innovating.
When it comes to delivering an outstanding experience, far too many in sales are content and complacent.
Success breeds complacency and mediocrity
According to the Forrester analysis published in the Harvard Business Review years ago:
“13% of companies said that they’ll settle for nothing less than having the best customer experience across every industry — in other words, these companies want to be the next Apple, Disney, or Zappos.”
This leaves a whopping 87% of companies who will settle for less than the best when it comes to their customer experience!
Let's think of this in sales terms... How many of you talk about the amazing, over-the-top and outstanding level of service you will provide but ride off into the sunset once the honeymoon is over and you deposit your commission check?
A few years ago, McKinsey and Company, published an article titled, "The future of customer experience: Personalized, white-glove service for all"
In this article, they state, "The modern reality: White-glove service is both inevitable and economical."
A white glove experience is,
"Characterized by attention to detail, convenience, speed, and emotional fulfillment, this high standard of service offers solutions, products, and services that are tailored to each customer’s specific and unique needs."
Have I got you thinking about buying a pair of white gloves?
We all know it because we crave it as well, today's buyer (and you're one of them as well) expect highly personalized service.
According to McKinsey and Company, providing white glove service offers several benefits:
- Deeper customer trust and loyalty - starts by creating a seamless experience.
- Reduced costs - start by tailoring solutions to meet individual needs. As an example, offering a simple apology rather than a gift card when things do not goes as planned.
- Increased revenue - start creating highly individualized and personalized interactions based upon a needs approach as a replacement to the standard one-size-fits-all approach to service expectations.
A white glove experience offers a massively high return on investment.
YOU ARE THE EXPERIENCE
It doesn't take a lot for you to go the extra mile. You must show you care.
This is the core foundation of what it means to sell from the heart (check out Selling From The Heart). It's all about bringing the human approach to sales, making it about your clients and what’s important to them.
You will hear us say, "It's just about giving a rip!"
Your clients are willing to pay for the experience. Go no further than Starbucks.
What's the difference between a cup of coffee from Starbucks and that of a competitor? Simple, the hyper personalized experience.
Check out the book,The Starbucks Experience by Joseph A. Michelli.
I encourage to you to apply the five Starbucks pillars to how you deliver an exceptional, cherry on top white glove experience, then start to watch your sales soar.
Make it your own - Based upon the 5 ways of being.
- Be welcoming
- Be genuine
- Be considerate
- Be knowledgeable
- Be involved
Everything matters
- Everyone matters
Surprise and delight
- Look for genuine opportunities to do the positively unexpected.
Embrace resistance
- Do not hide from difficult challenges.
Leave your mark
- When employees’ work environments match their personal values, they are more productive.
Again, YOU are the experience between you and your clients. Reflect upon the 5 Starbucks pillars and ask yourself:
- How consistently welcoming am I with my clients?
- What details do I tend to overlook with my clients?
- Where can I offer more surprise or delight with my clients?
- In what situations do I embrace resistance in working with my clients?
- What mark am I leaving with my clients?
THE ONE THING
What is the one special and unique thing that you can provide to your clients? I urge you to uncover what it is because this is what will differentiate you from all the others in sales.
Start getting your clients talking about the experiences they have with you.
I encourage you to bring something amazing to the business table. It's you that makes the difference. It's not your products, your service or your company; it's you. It's how you show up and how you deliver it that makes the difference.
Do not forget, you are 100% responsible for this.
"Providing an outstanding client experience should be a pleasure not a headache."
In this episode of Selling From the Heart, we are joined by 🧑🔬Jonathan Mahan, the co-founder of The Practice Lab, a training community for sales professionals looking to develop their skills through deliberate practice. He is passionate about helping salespeople cut through the clutter of tips and tactics to focus on the most impactful core sales behaviors.
Jonathan Mahan joins Larry and Darrell to discuss the importance of deliberate practice in sales. He explains that while simple repetition doesn't grow skill, deliberate practice can rewire the brain and equip salespeople with the abilities they need to perform under pressure. By practicing core fundamental skills and receiving immediate feedback, sales professionals can change their behaviors and elevate the sales profession.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Lazy selling can be done without much practice, but high-quality selling requires intense skill development through deliberate practice.
Deliberate practice involves setting clear targets, receiving feedback during practice, and implementing that feedback immediately.
Sales leaders should prioritize deliberate practice to see actual behavior change and improve sales team performance.
HIGHLIGHT QUOTES
"Repetition alone doesn't grow skill. Deliberate practice is the fastest way to grow skill and change behavior." - Jonathan Mahan
"Practice takes knowledge and brings it into a part of the brain that's accessible under pressure during a performance." - Jonathan Mahan
Learn more about Jonathan Mahan:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtmahan/
Learn more about Darrell and Larry:
Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/
Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevi...
Website: https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/
Got a video about how you sell from the heart? Share it by texting VIDEO to 21000.
Please visit https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/p... to pre-order your copy of the rerelease of the Selling from the Heart book.
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This Week in the Copier Industry 10 Years Ago
This Week in Copiers Ten Years Ago
Third Week of August 2013
Way back when in 1986 I went into business for myself at the ripe age of 29. I had been selling copiers for a Minolta dealer in central New Jersey since 1982, and believe it or not by 1986 the owner was in a divorce, hooked on other stuff and the business just didn't open one day and the previous weeks pay checks had NSF. more here
Check These Great Copier Threads from Ten Years Ago This Week
Selling Copiers "Should I Go Out on My Own"
Our Top Ten Copier Proposals/Quotes for July 2013
New Sharp MX-C300W AND MX-C250F 4-IN-1 MULTIFUNCTION PRINTERS
Android-Based MFPs & Copiers to the Rescue
Konica Minolta Executive, Gavin Jordan-Smith, to Be Inducted Into the Walter E. Soderstrom Honor Society
Canon U.S.A. and Canon Business Process Services to Exhibit Imaging Solutions and Services for Legal Industry at the International Legal Technology Association Conference
Ricoh 3310L fax order doc.pdf
Re: Selling Copiers "Should I Go Out on My Own"
Ricoh MP C3003/3503/4503/5505 & 6003 Media Spec Review
Ricoh India Opens its Multi Faceted Facility in Gujarat
Canon U.S.A. Earns Eight Summer "Pick" Awards from Buyers Laboratory LLC
Ricoh Recognized with Gold Standard International Accreditation for Forensic Science Testing
Epson Enhances Volume Bid Program for Resellers with Free Printer Recycling Offer
Toshiba’s Newly Unveiled e-STUDIO™ Series Outfits Small Offices with Affordable and Durable Printing Devices
Re: Konica Minolta Executive, Gavin Jordan-Smith, to Be Inducted Into the Walter E. Soderstrom Honor Society
Parascript Named Canon Image Capture Solutions Alliance Program Member
Kyocera Document Solutions Germany uses FrontRange's HEAT Client Management
Top Ten Upcoming Copier RFP's for September & August 2013
Crawford Technologies to Showcase Critical Enterprise Output Management (EOM) Solutions at PRINT 13
Re: Ricoh Plotworks "Way To Screw Up the W3601" Updated!
Around the World with Ricoh
Ricoh DD6650P Duplicator
RISO to Showcase the Speed, Quality, and Versatility of the New ComColor X1 Series Printers at PRINT 13
Wipro Partners With Xerox on Enhanced Document Imaging
CAD/CAM Connect Now Offers Wide Format Printers, Scanners, 3D Printers and Supplies
Kyocera Document Solutions Germany Taps FrontRange's HEAT Client Management
DD_6650P_Ricoh_en_t_66-58931.pdf
KIP America Introduces KIP Printer Status Device Monitoring Software
Is this the rebirth of print?
Error code SC899 Ricoh MPC4502
BarkerBlue Hosts AIA Accredited Digital Wall Decor Course With Hewlett-Packard and ReproMax
31 Ways to Close more Business (2 of 31)
U.S. and Japan Show Growth in Large Format Printer Shipments in the Second Quarter of 2013, According to IDC
BTA East to Host Grand Slam, Sept. 26-27, in Baltimore
Xerox WC5740A_ColorQube 8870 3 meter.pdf
Re: top challenges faced by sales reps on a day to day basis
Re: top challenges faced by sales reps on a day to day basis
Re: Ricoh Plotworks "Way To Screw Up the W3601" Updated!
This Week in the Copier Industry 5 Years Ago
This Week in the Copier Industry 5 Years Ago
Third Week of August 2018
Real Copier Sales
I remember when plain paper copiers used rolls of paper and not sheets. I remember when the glass on the copiers had to move back and forth. I remember when copiers used liquid ink (toner) to produce an image. I remember when you used a dial to set how many copies you wanted to make....more here
Enjoy These Awesome Copier Threads from 5 Years Ago
Two Types of Office Equipment Leases
Thought I would put this together for our newbies. In addition I can direct my net new prospects to this blog so they can understand more about office equipment leases. There are three that I find the most popular.
Finance Equipment Lease: Not the most popular lease in our industry but it's used for clients that want to own the equipment at the end of the term for a fixed price. Often referred to as a $1.00 purchase option. In addition the finance lease can also be used to take advantage of Section 179. A finance lease aka dollar buyout will have have the highest interest rate. Thus expect to pay more on the monthly payment but at the end of the term you'll own the equipment.
Beware: Even though your purchase option is $1.00 there are some companies that will renew the lease for 12 months if you do not notify them at the end of the original term
FMV Equipment Lease: The most popular lease in our industry because the FMV (Fair Market Value) gives the lowest interest rate and option to purchase at the end of the term.
There are four options at the end of the FMV lease.
- upgrade to a new lease with new equipment
- buy the equipment from the dealer or the leasing company
- return the equipment and pay the freight back to the dealer or leasing company
- auto renewal of lease
- If the dealer or leasing company is not notified ( x amount of days prior to end of lease) or your intentions to return, buy or upgrade. The lease will renew for "x" amount of month's dictated by the terms of one the lease. Renewals can range from 30 days to one year. I would say 50% are in the 30-60 days renewals with the rest at one year renewals.
- Beware: In my opinion the 12 month renewal is a trap. It's designed to hold you hostage if your company fails to notify them in time. If your company wants to go elsewhere they will hold you to the letter of the law demanding that you pay the 12 payments. In addition they have the upper hand when you fail to notify in time. If you want out of the 12 months you will have to agree to their price.
FMV or Finance Lease That Includes Service and Supplies: Office equipment lease that has gained popularity in recent years. These are leases that have x amount of pages for black and color (maintenance and supplies) that are included each month.
The base monthly lease cost will usually include "x" amount of black and color pages each month. If you go over the pages there is an additional cost for "overages". For example, the lease includes 10,000 black (minimum volume) and 1,000 color (minimum volume) in the base prices. If you go over there is an overage per page cost stated on the lease. If the end monthly volume is 12K for black and 2K for color, the next invoice will reflect the overage billing for 2,000 pages of black and 1,000 color at the going rate. If you don't attain the minimum volumes there is no credit issue (most cases).
- Beware: Most if not all of these leases have a built in escalation clause. The wording of "we may" increase the cost on the annual renewal in most cases means they will. It's important to know that the base monthly payment can increase each year. I've seen and heard of double digit increases each year. My personal opinion is to stay away from these if you can, it not make sure the annual rates of escalation are in the t's and c's of the the agreement.
Special Notes:
- I've never seen a regular FMV or Finance lease without maintenance and supplies with an auto escalation clause, however that does not mean they don't exist.
- Do business with a reputable company
- Read the T's and C's (understand the t's and c's if not ask questions)
- Ask for references or visit their Linkedin page to view their references
Feel free to email me or post a response if you have questions apost@p4photel.com. Please also keep in mind that if you're in an existing lease I may be able to help you lower those lease payments.
-=Good Selling=-
Thus What Does One Due When You Want to Win?
"Any man can learn anything he will, but no man can teach except to those who want to learn." by Henry Ford
Yes, one of my favorite quotes. After all of these years I enjoy helping and teaching others and without a doubt I still have that desire to learn more.
Today, I tried something new with an MFP proposal. From my discover process the potential net new client was going to be a power user of print. The annual volume will be around 150K of color per year. After taking a trip to their web site I knew that speed would be one of their needs. In addition a little birdy told me that they are very price conscious. I was being nice with the price conscious line, they are CHEAP.
Thus what does one due when you want to win?
Well, it's time to change up the rules like Kirk did with the Kobayashi Maru exercise with Starfleet.
I took a piece of wide format print speeds and applied that to the 60PPM A3 color that I quoted. If you're read wide format brochures most will state prints per hour rather than prints per minute. I really know now why that's done unless it's to make the devices look like they print faster. A typical toner based wide format will have a print speed of 6"D" per minute. The hourly print speed works about to 360 "D" size per minute. Yup, it does sound faster.
Thus I quoted the speed of the my 60PPM A3 color at 3,600 pages per hour! I felt like I needed to be different. Rather than quote pages per minute, I went to the extreme because in a sea of quotes (which there will be) I believe the 3,600 will stand out.
Additional changes
If I'm going to quote print speeds per hour I might as well go all the way and do that for scanning as well. At my standard speed of 300 per minute (duplex), I quoted 18,000 pages per hour. Yes, another stat that will stand out. Again, I just need my quote to stand out amongst the other.
Will it work?
I'm no soothsayer, but I feel that by changing the rules I've given my self a better change to win. In addition I'm not floating in a sea a sameness with all of the other players.
-=Good Selling=-
Would love to hear from others how they have changed the rules with your quotes an proposals! I would love to know
The Answer To The Financial Print Dilemma – Managed Print Services
Data has always been essential to running a business, especially when it comes to the financial side of a company. Tracking materials usage and time spent on projects or tasks has always been a struggle for accounting departments. However, Big Data has made it much easier to set up programs and systems to assist in tracking items essential to fully developed financials.
The beginning of this type of tracking was embedded in the use of firewalls and servers. IT used these tools to block access to websites and services that were deemed unsafe or distracting. It also helped keep tabs on what and how employees were using their time and equipment.
Now, however, with an ever-growing remote-work environment, companies are moving beyond the standard in-house tracking. Instead, they are beginning to implement project management software like Monday. More intensive clock-in and clock-out tracking systems like Toggl are also a common alternative. However, businesses with significant security concerns and stringent compliance or regulatory requirements have begun to migrate to all-in-one screenshots, website usage, and time-tracking systems—programs like Time Doctor or Clockify. But, no matter the software or methods being used, businesses can now fully monitor and track the work and time of each of their internal and remote workers.
For finance departments, the introduction of these systems means easier tracking and categorizing of employee time. It helps them tabulate hours spent on individual projects and apply costs to specific areas throughout the business. However, despite more advanced tracking capabilities in the realm of the employee, there are back-office and overhead expenses that are still tough to trace, such as printing.
The Printing Expense Dilemma
Many may argue that printing costs are very easy to tabulate. But printing industry experts such as Managed Print Services providers know the actual costs of printing go far beyond the equipment and supplies. How much a company pays to purchase or lease a printer or spends on paper and toner are only the surface expenditures.
The truth is that, for every $1 spent on office printing, another $9 is paid to manage it. This expense is created by IT management, infrastructure, and support. While the Information Technology (IT) group may lump print in with the rest of their general office assistance and structure, analysis proves it takes up far more time and energy than anyone would like to believe. Most businesses report 40% of their help desk calls and tickets are print-related when thoroughly evaluated. And these ongoing print problems can require anything from basic assistance such as supply replenishment or jam assistance to a repair call.
But IT is not the only department affected by office print management. Equipment, toner, ink, and paper supplies all fall on the administrative and procurement departments. Ensuring these items are appropriately sourced in a timely manager often requires inventory regulation. Larger offices may even require regular reports on print dispense and ink levels. In some cases, this information may involve direct contact and inspection of the print equipment’s stored data.
Add to all of this the need to provision and upkeep on-site (and now remote and at-home) printing facilities; it does not seem unreasonable for print management to encompass such a staggering hidden cost. Yet nearly half (40%) of North American businesses cannot accurately track print and print management expenses. As a result, most companies spend a great deal more than they should to provide these services to their employees. A typical business spends up to 3% of its annual revenues on office print services.
Managed Print Services – Solution To Print Costs
Seeing such a cost analysis, finance departments might immediately attempt to steer their company toward a paperless environment. Indeed, many organizations have been working hard toward the vision of a completely digital office. But studies have shown paper is still an essential feature for employees and security. Fortunately, there are ways for businesses to provide finance with the data attributions they desire while significantly lowering the overall costs of business office print.
Managed print service (MPS) providers consolidate administration, printer helpdesk, and maintenance into one package. As a business that is wholly focused on providing printer services, equipment, and supplies, they can leverage their industry knowledge, experience, and volumes to help reduce wait times, resolve issues, and lower supply costs. Overall, MPS services can reduce overall printing costs by up to 30%. The cost-savings to print-related helpdesk tickets and calls alone range from 7-14%.
MPS providers using business process automation systems like PowerMPS offer even more data and cost savings. These platforms provide MPS customers with easily accessible data on print volumes by printer, location, and current supply levels. This information can be accessed from the comfort and safety of the home office – for even remote office and connected desktop printers.
MPS using PowerMPS systems can provide an in-depth look at supply usage for those finance departments demanding even more convenience and cost savings. And there are ample time savings with predictive supply ordering technology and online maintenance management.
Finance departments in businesses across North America might be at a disadvantage for tracking and understanding their actual office printing spend. But, just like there is a growing service and software space for proper employee time management and attribution, there are solutions for the enterprising finance team. When it comes to tracking and management for print, these companies should take a hard look at partnering with a reputable MPS provider – especially one galvanized by an authoritative tool such as PowerMPS.